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For my final printed rugby union column of 2024, it’s only fitting that we give out a few awards covering the last 12 months.
Rugby saw the Olympics move to the forefront of the calendar, while there were a few surprises in terms of national winners.
It wasn’t easy but I chose my player of the year, my team of the year, my best moment and my worst moment of the year.
There were several contenders for this prize. Italian center Tommaso Menoncello has been outstanding for club and country throughout 2024, as a Six Nations-winning player.
Pieter-Steph du Toit was once again as usual at world level while Ilona Maher caused a sensation in Paris as the most followed rugby player in the world.
But for me, it is difficult to ignore Antoine Dupont. The energetic nine won the national and European titles for Toulouse and won the sevens title in Paris.
He has once again proven himself to be a talismanic player and deserves my award.
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This one is simpler. There have been calls for the French Olympic sevens team, Glasgow for its astonishing feat in the United Rugby Championship and Toulouse for its double season.
But the best team of the year is by far the Springboks. They didn’t win every game, but they won a first rugby championship since 2019 and remained unbeaten on their tour of the northern hemisphere for the first time in a decade.
Rassie Erasmus’ team was by far the best team of the calendar year and deserves this distinction.
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In a nostalgic sense, one of the highlights of the year was the return of rugby to Croke Park; The Dublin Arena is iconic to the sport and holds particular significance in the history of rugby in Ireland. So it was special to watch matches there again.
But there was something unbeatable about the French men, led by Antoine Dupont, who won the gold medals in front of 80,000 home fans at the Stade de France during the Olympics.
It was not just a boost for rugby sevens but for rugby as a whole, with the sport shining on the world stage.
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It’s hard to stop watching a Steve Borthwick England side squander leads against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, but I’ll do it anyway.
Because what’s happening across the border in Wales has been chaotic. A winless calendar year for Warren Gatland has seen little progress in the Principality.
For such a proud nation to find itself in dire straits.
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Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimistic performance. Follow Ollie @OlliePhillips11
